Tomorrow
by Morrigan Mikagami
Summary: is is possible that when they realized their feelings for each other, tomorrow's too late?
1. Default Chapter

TOMORROW  
  
by M.Mikagami [last edited: 25 October 2000]  
  
Disclaimers: Rurouni Kenshin characters do not belong to me or any one  
  
else, except Nobuhiro Watsuki. We don't claim them, we just wish we  
  
do. ^__^  
  
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----------  
  
Part One  
  
Sanosuke watched her as she diligently cures a wounded patient. She  
  
could feel his intent eyes observing her every move, every twitch of  
  
her eyebrows, every shrug of her shoulders, every sigh she would  
  
heave, every focus of her attention, and everything that she would do.  
  
This made her quite uneasy. Megumi prayed he'd go away, he was  
  
distracting her, but he remained still---crouching at the wooden door  
  
with his arms crossed. Sano's presence started to annoy her, but the  
  
young doctor kept her calm.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be somewhere else, Sanosuke?" she asked quite  
  
sarcastically.  
  
"Nope, not today." came the almost mocking reply.  
  
Megumi sighed. He's so stubborn! I wonder how people keep up with  
  
this attitude of his? The fact that he has been watching all  
  
afternoon her ticked her off, what more could his ridiculous behavior  
  
can do? It irritated Megumi so much that it almost broke her  
  
concentration on treating the wound of her patient.  
  
"What do you want anyway? You've been standing there for hours, aren't  
  
you a bit tired?" Megumi snapped in annoyance.  
  
The patient stood up and thanked his doctor. Megumi bowed politely in  
  
return. After a while, she removed her surgical cap and brushed some  
  
of her hair away from her face. She glanced at Sano, who was still  
  
standing on the doorway, and noticed the twinkle in his eyes. Megumi  
  
ignored him wearied.  
  
Sano sauntered slowly towards her, smirking maliciously. That  
  
chickenhead! What is his damn problem this time?! She couldn't stand  
  
his annoying manners and "tough-guy" attitude. Why can't he just grow  
  
up?  
  
"Look here you chicken-head---"  
  
"You look tired foxy, why don't you rest for a while?" His remark  
  
surprised her. It was very unexpected. For a minute he thought of him  
  
as an irksome, immature brat but now, the look of sincerest concern  
  
was written all over his face. Megumi's eyes softened, she smiled.  
  
"Iie, I'm okay Sano, arigatou. There are still a lot of patients I  
  
need to attend to and some errands to do. Maybe later, I'll get some  
  
rest."  
  
Sanosuke hesitated for a moment, but then, trusting her words, he gave  
  
in.  
  
"Okay." He turned towards the door and slowly walked away. "I'll be  
  
outside in case you need any help."  
  
This shocked Megumi even more; all she could do was choke a little  
  
"Uh...Sure.."  
  
What could have gotten into that guy? Is it something he ate? Maybe  
  
after she finished checking on her patients, she could convince him to  
  
let her take a look at him.  
  
**END OF PART ONE**  
  
Author's notes:  
  
The final revision of the whole thing. This fic is divided into  
  
several short parts, since this would be a super short story ^_^ 


	2. chapter two

TOMORROW By M.Mikagami [last edited: 25 October 2000]  
  
Disclaimers: Rurouni Kenshin characters do not belong to me or to  
  
anyone else, except Nobuhiro Watsuki. We don't claim them, we just  
  
wish we do. ^__^  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
----------  
  
Part two  
  
Sanosuke slid closed the wooden door behind him and lazily sat himself  
  
on the floor of the clinic's waiting room. He looked out the window  
  
where rays of yellow and orange were passing through the small frame.  
  
Almost sundown, and there were still a few patients left. Megumi will  
  
be finished with her task soon.  
  
"Think I have to wait a little longer"  
  
Ever since he came home from Kyoto with the Kenshin-gumi, Sano always  
  
made it a point that Megumi was fetched from the clinic for reasons he  
  
doesn't even know and cannot explain. The fight with Shishio and his  
  
Ten Swords was a rough one, the lady doctor knew this well. That is  
  
why when they came back---  
  
They...? us... Does it mean she's also happy to see me? Sano's heart  
  
hammered audibly inside his chest. He knocked his fists to his head,  
  
hiding the pink glow on his cheeks. What are you thinking you idiot?  
  
Megumi was never glad to see you! And she never will be!  
  
"Besides, lil' old foxlady was happy to see Kenshin---not me." He must  
  
have said it too loud because every person in the room looked at him  
  
as if he were mad.  
  
"Eh, sorry..." Sano quickly stood up and walked out of the room, his  
  
face flushed from embarrassment.  
  
What the hell is happening to me? Why had he been thinking too much  
  
of Megumi anyway? And since when did he care about what she was  
  
feeling?  
  
He closed his eyes and tried to push away those crazy thoughts, but  
  
the image of the beautiful and young lady doctor filled his mind. How  
  
her long black hair fell gracefully on her shoulders and reached down  
  
to her small waist. He longed to run his fingers through that soft,  
  
ebony mass of silk and smell the sweet scent emanating from every  
  
strand. And her lips that was always curved into a luscious smile, her  
  
adorable red lips--how he ached to touch and brush them with his own,  
  
to taste her, to feel her... Megumi A wave of warm sensuous feeling  
  
engulfed him, wrapping him close. Sano smiled inwardly. Why does it  
  
feel kind of nice though...?  
  
"Hey Sano!" A booming voice interrupted his thoughts. He was  
  
suddenly irritated. Sanosuke opened one eye and saw a hand waving in  
  
front of his face.  
  
"Oi! Roosterhead, wake up!" Yahiko was about to strike him with his  
  
bokken on the head; if not for his quick reflexes, he would have  
  
gotten a good-sized lump on the head. Fortunately, he was able to  
  
dodge the attack.  
  
"What do you want Yahiko-CHAN?" Sano addressed him in a cool, mocking  
  
tone. The younger boy's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Don't call me that!" Yahiko snapped, threatening to hit Sano again  
  
with his wooden sword. Sano could only smirk teasingly at the boy.  
  
Just then, a horrifying scream of a woman was heard from inside the  
  
clinic.  
  
"It's Kaoru!" Yahiko jumped in alarm. The two friends rushed back into  
  
the clinic. Only to find an anxious Kaoru kneeling on the floor with  
  
Megumi on her lap. The young doctor was unconscious. Sanosuke  
  
hurriedly went to her side.  
  
"Megumi! Megumi, wake up!" He was shaking and slapping her pale cheeks  
  
but Megumi gave no response. She just lay there as if she were dead.  
  
"Kaoru, what happened?" he asked the teary-eyed girl in front of him.  
  
He tried to sound as calm as possible but his voice gave in, Sano was  
  
near to tears.  
  
"I... I really don't know. The minute I got here, we started talking  
  
when... when suddenly Megumi..." Kaoru looked down at her, "she just  
  
fainted and fell on the floor... Oh, gods..." The girl started  
  
sobbing.  
  
"Yahiko!" Sano commanded the shocked boy standing at the doorway, his  
  
voice harsh, "Go get Doctor Genzi! And HURRY!"  
  
It took him quite some time to absorb what he was told but Yahiko  
  
immediately came back to focus at what was at hand. He ran as fast as  
  
he could.  
  
Sanosuke then shifted his gaze towards the unmoving girl. With one  
  
swift move, he carried her to a nearby futon and held her hand as she  
  
lay there.  
  
"Megumi, please, open your eyes. Wake up. Megumi..." he tried, again  
  
and again. Sanosuke choked down a sob. "Megumi...!"  
  
**end of part two**  
  
Author's notes:  
  
How's the second part eh? Made it a tad bit more interesting ^_^  
  
Besides, doctors do exhaust themselves at times ne? 


	3. chapter three

TOMORROW  
  
by M.Mikagami [last edited: 25 October 2000]  
  
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin characters do not belong to me or any one  
  
else except Nobuhiro Watsuki. We don't claim them, we just wish we do.  
  
^__^  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
----------  
  
Part three  
  
The night was clear and the moon shone it's brightest. Silence was his  
  
only companion as he treaded along the dark, narrow streets of this  
  
foreign place. He hadn't been here before, except maybe during his  
  
childhood, but those were vague memories that he couldn't quite  
  
remember.  
  
Adjusting the white cloak he wore on his shoulders, Shinji shivered at  
  
the cold breeze that passed him. He clasped his hands together and  
  
gasped when he realized how cold they were. He rubbed his palms  
  
briskly to give way to warmth. It didn't stop him from quivering  
  
though; at least he had saved his hands from freezing. He sighed. How  
  
long must he go on?  
  
Shinji reached into the inner pocket of his clothing and retrieved a  
  
small piece of paper. He stopped to read and comprehend the child-like  
  
scrawls on the sheet: "Kamiya Dojo, Tokyo"  
  
He looked up and surveyed the buildings around him. Eh? It's not  
  
here. He let out a depressed sigh, and then continued walking. Where  
  
in Tokyo would he ever find that place?  
  
Footsteps, he heard some coming towards him. Shinji felt his heart  
  
race. Who or whatever it is doesn't matter for now, what he needed  
  
desperately was a person he can ask for directions. At least I'm not  
  
the only one left in this isolated place... he thought as he took  
  
careful steps towards the stranger. From afar, he could not tell  
  
whether the person was a man or a woman, for he or she looked rather-  
  
--short.  
  
Until he got closer, Shinji took note of the stranger's confident air.  
  
A samurai, he mused. And when the person came into full view, Shinji  
  
saw his sword. A samurai indeed!  
  
Fear gripped him like vines of thorns as he came to a sudden halt. He  
  
shouldn't be scared. This man must have been only carrying a sword for  
  
protection, and not able to use it otherwise. And besides, thinking of  
  
his own life must not be his code, that the lives of others was his  
  
lone concern.  
  
"Anoo... excuse me good sir,"  
  
The stranger stopped on his tracks to face him. Shinji only noticed  
  
his red hair and cross-scarred cheek when he got a better view. Cross  
  
scar on his left cheek...  
  
"Hai?"  
  
The red-haired samurai looked up at him, smiling with deep purple  
  
eyes.  
  
"Do you happen to know where Kamiya Dojo is?"  
  
"Ah, you must be Dr. Nakano."  
  
Shinji looked at him curiously. How come he knows my name? He  
  
stiffened. No, this can't be one of those 'assassins' who tried to  
  
eliminate his clan again, can it? They're all persecuted---and dead.  
  
And this samurai looks harmless enough. Shinji tried to calm down.  
  
"Ore wa Himura Kenshin. Dr. Genzi told me you were coming, I was about  
  
to fetch you from the port."  
  
Himura's smile seemed to fade a bit, but he then continued his  
  
introduction.  
  
"Our friend Megumi is staying at the Dojo and she's not doing fine.  
  
Dr. Genzi said you'll be able to help her."  
  
Shinji relaxed. I thought for a second..., He gave him a small  
  
smile.  
  
"Himura-san, tell me what happened to her?"  
  
"Call me Kenshin. I'll tell you on our way, please come with me  
  
Sensei, we need to hurry."  
  
Shinji followed the red-haired samurai, as the latter told him about  
  
the condition of his friend. As they traveled, he felt more and more  
  
comfortable around this stranger, and it was a good thing. Shinji  
  
smiled inwardly.  
  
It wasn't long until they came to the Dojo. Kenshin opened the gate  
  
and led him into a well-lighted room. He opened the wooden door and  
  
revealed to him curious faces.  
  
"Kenshin!"  
  
A young woman suddenly stood up and walked towards Kenshin. Shinji can  
  
easily perceive that this woman had been crying, for remnants of tears  
  
were present on her flushed cheeks.  
  
"It's alright Kaoru-dono, " Kenshin held her hand and smiled softly,  
  
"How's Megumi-dono?"  
  
The woman named Kaoru looked over her shoulder where another woman lay  
  
unconscious on the futon, then turned her head back to Kenshin.  
  
"The way she has always been since.."  
  
Shinji curiously looked over to get a good view of the patient. She  
  
had long, raven black hair and small, red lips. And she seemed rather  
  
pale. Shinji also noticed her clothes as the blanket was half-draped  
  
over her. A lady doctor! I wonder what happened to her?  
  
"Kenshin, may I see the patient?", he gently asked, turning to the  
  
samurai.  
  
"Yes, of course, doctor." He smiled.  
  
"Anoo, Kaoru-dono, this is Dr. Shinji Nakano by the way. He was the  
  
one Genzi-sensei was telling us about."  
  
Kaoru looked at him and smiled gently.  
  
"It's nice the meet you doctor, please come in."  
  
Kenshin and Kaoru bowed and made way for him to pass.  
  
Shinji took a seat beside the ill woman and examined her for sometime.  
  
As he was doing so, he could not help but notice the uniqueness of her  
  
beauty. She seemed almost like a goddess to him. Shinji was glad his  
  
back was turned to the peering couple, they wouldn't see him blush. He  
  
held Megumi's hand to feel her pain. Just at that moment, another man  
  
burst into the room.  
  
"Get your paws off her!"  
  
When he looked up, it was too late. A sudden blow hit him hard on his  
  
cheek as he didn't have the time to react. It all happened very fast.  
  
He fell on the floor rubbing his injured face.  
  
"Sano! Iie... stop!" Shinji heard Kenshin shout at the man. He could  
  
see the samurai took hold of him, along with another boy.  
  
"Yahiko, hold him!"  
  
That was some punch..., Shinji noted.  
  
"Are you okay, Dr. Nakano?" Kaoru was peering at him worriedly, but  
  
still he managed to smile.  
  
"Fine... I'll be fine"  
  
The girl helped him to stand. That blow made him dizzy, he felt like  
  
he was going to throw up. I think I'm going to enjoy it here, Shinji  
  
mused as he made his way back to his patient.  
  
**end of Part three**  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Revised and edited finally! Many thanks to Jacy for proofreading my  
  
fic ^_^ I owe ya big time 'tint! 


	4. chapter four

TOMORROW  
  
by M.Mikagami [last edited: 25 October 2000]  
  
Spoilers for those who haven't read or watched the Kyoto Revenge Arc  
  
and the episodes that came after. Written for entertainment purposes  
  
only.  
  
Disclaimers: Rurouni Kenshin characters do not belong to me, or to  
  
anyone else, except Nobuhiro Watsuki. We don't claim them, we just  
  
wish we do.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
----------  
  
Part four  
  
The lawful rasp of the shoji caught Kaoru's attention, breaking her  
  
concentration of clasping and unclasping her pale fingers as she paced  
  
the wooden floor of the room. She hurried towards the young man with  
  
the white cloak, nearly tripping on her kimono as she did so.  
  
"Nakano-sensei..."  
  
Kaoru choked on her greeting when she saw the man's ragged expression,  
  
an obvious sign of exhaustion. As she drew nearer, however, she  
  
noticed that he was also smiling! Wow!,she thought, even though  
  
he's tired, he still manages to be polite!  
  
"Ah, Kaoru-san," the young doctor bowed in his greeting.  
  
"Sumimasen Nakano-sensei, we know it's late, but Doctor Genzi..."  
  
Shinji waved his hand at Kaoru, smiling knowingly at her.  
  
"You don't have to apologize," he reassured her, "It's my duty as a  
  
doctor to help those in need of my service. And besides, Genzi-sensei  
  
advised me to come here anyway for my research."  
  
The girl nodded in cognition.  
  
"I understand, Doctor..."  
  
"Please," Shinji stopped her, "call me Shinji. I feel rather awkward  
  
when I am called Doctor." Flashing again his soft, handsome smile,  
  
Kaoru almost melted. Baka! What am I thinking?!  
  
"Of course," she muttered absent-mindedly. An amused glint became  
  
present in the doctor's dark, green eyes.  
  
"So tell me, Kaoru-san, how long has your friend been unconscious?"  
  
The doctor's tone became serious all of a sudden. Kaoru wasn't ready  
  
for this kind of inquiry, it might only bring her bad news. Yet, she  
  
could not escape it, he would know otherwise.  
  
"Barely a good twenty-four hours," she replied, "How is she, Doctor?"  
  
"Well," Shinji looked over his shoulder where he could see the  
  
beautiful lady who lay fast asleep in the futon. The single lamp  
  
beside her bed showed the peacefulness and exquisite beauty that  
  
radiated from her. His heart seemed to thump loudly against his chest  
  
as he watched her for a while. Takani Megumi... Tearing his gaze  
  
away from her, lest her friend might notice, Shinji pretended to rub  
  
his temples.  
  
"I gave her some medications," he said looking up at the girl, "And  
  
she seems to be responding. It's probably just fatigue, she might just  
  
be working too hard."  
  
He glanced back at her one more time. Perfect...  
  
"Don't worry, Kaoru-san, she's alright. Just let her take a good rest,  
  
ok?"  
  
Kaoru sighed in relief. She couldn't wait to tell the good news to the  
  
guys, especially to Sanosuke, he appears to be really worried about  
  
Megumi's condition. Lately, he hadn't been eating a lot, or even  
  
talking. He just sits beside her in the room, watching her sleep.  
  
Well, they'll be happy to hear the news!  
  
"Domo arigatou, Nakano-sensei, err-- Shinji, I mean," Kaoru bowed and  
  
the doctor chuckled in response.  
  
"Sumen, Kaoru-san. I want to have some rest now," his tone apologetic,  
  
"If you don't mind, I've had a tiresome journey."  
  
"Why, of course."  
  
[later, outside the Kamiya Dojo]  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to stay in for the night?" Kaoru asked  
  
him, "We have available rooms here."  
  
Megumi's lucky to have such good friends..., Shinji mused. "Iie,  
  
I'll be fine Kaoru-san. I usually like to be by myself. I'll be  
  
lodging at a nearby inn, in case you need my help."  
  
He bowed and waved at the girl before she could say anything more.  
  
I'll be back, Megumi... He slowly turned away, once again to face  
  
the darkness, in the loneliness of the night.  
  
-+- end of part four -+-  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Welp! That's all I could do for now. How do you like the story is  
  
progressing so far? Thanks for reading! ---- M.M 


End file.
